Sheet-type yarn group and an apparatus for producing it



O UIIItEd States Patent m13,536,019

[72] Inv nt Ryosei Honda and 1,878,268 9/1932 Day 28/40 Hiroshi Yamanmto, shiluoka Prefecture; 2,1 16,179v 3 5/1938 Suggs 28/40 Hidejiro Yamahata, Gunnm Prefectm'e, 2,250,728 7/ 1941 Sherrill 28/40 Japan 2,603,852 7/1952 Fleischer 28/40 21 Appl. No. 776,346 2,983,236 5/1961 Thompson. I 112 121.14 [22] Filed Nov. 18, 1968 2,986,171 5/1961 Eisen l39/383X [4S] Patented 0d. 27, 1970 3,039,169 6/1962 Frickert et a1. 139/11X [73] Assignee Fuji Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha 3,232,320 2/1966 Eilhauer 139/ 1 27X Tokyo,Japan 3,395,658 8/1968 Lee et al. ll2/l2l.l4 a corporate body of Japan Primary Examiner-Alfred R. Guest Attorney-Eliot S. Gerber [54] SHEET-TYPE YARN GROUP AND AN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING IT 6 Claims, 1 1 Drawing Figs.

[52] 0.8. CI, ..ll2/l2l.l4,

l 28/40; 38/384 ABSTRACT: A number of parallel and continuous yarns in- [51] Int. Cl. D05b 3/00 l d continuously with a leasing thread, or a thread l 14, e uivalent to a to form a weave shaped sheet- 412, 4132;23/40; 139/ l 1, 383, 384 type yarn group. This prevents the yarns from entangling with each other. The leasing thread, or the thread equivalent to the [56] Reta-ems cued leasing thread, is easily extracted from the group of the yarns UNITED STATES PATENTS whenever desired. An apparatus for making such a sheet-type 1,764,575 6/1930 Nicolet l39/l 1 yarn group is also described.

Patented .Oct. 27, 1970 Sheet 2 of3 FIG. 4

FIG. 7

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YMD RHMM 6 SHEET-TYPE YARN GROUP AND AN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING IT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a number of parallel and continuous yams of a group that are used, transported, handled and treated without entangling each other. After processing, the individual yarns are easily separated and wound up.

This invention further relates to an apparatus for making such a group of yarns.

In many kinds of manufacturing and treating processes for yarns, the yarns are transported or treated in the form of parallel and continuous yarns. For example, in cotton yarn mercerizing, it is conventional to treat the cotton yarn in the form of a hank. The yarns may also be treated by arranging a number of continuous yarns in the form of tow or plane sheet. This process can be perfonned with little trouble and is usable in production. But, as the number of continuous yarns are generally arranged parallel to one another and not arranged to prevent the respective positions thereof from moving, each yarn may entangle with the other yarns while they are being transported, manufactured or treated. Further, when the yarn is cut off, it may coil around turning parts of the devices. It is also difficult to shake the yarns of the group into a J-box and to separate them and wind them into respective yarns. Thus the arrangement of a number of continuous yarns in the form of a tow or plane sheet has proven to be impractical.

These problems cannot be remedied unless a number of parallel and continuous yarns to be treated, which are equivalent to warps in the woven fabric, are regularly readjusted by means of a weft. However, in a structure wherein a single weft is continuously interlaced, as for example a woven fabric, it is impossible, when desired, to extract the weft continuously.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an objective of the present invention to provide a group of continuous yarns wherein an arrangement of parallel and continuous yarns to be treated is adjusted by a leasing thread or a suitable thread, and wherein the leasing thread or a thread equivalent to it, can thereafter be extracted continuously, and with ease, at any desired time.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus for producing such a group of yarns.

It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a sheet-type yarn group, wherein returned parts or selvage of the leasing thread at the side edges of the group of the yarns is secured, and to provide an apparatus for producing said sheet-type yarn group.

According to the present invention, a number of parallel and continuous yarns of a group to be treated are intersected with at least a single continuous leasing thread, interlaced in the form of wave, from at least one side of the group of the yarns. When a leasing thread is interlaced continuously from only one side of the group of the continuous yarns to be treated, the state of intersection is different between adjacent wave-shape parts, in other words, the leasing thread is above and below the leasing thread alternately at the adjacent waveshape parts. When a leasing thread is interlaced from one side of the group of the continuous yarns and another leasing thread is interlaced from the other side of it; alternately, the state of intersection is different between the two leasing threads. Further, when these two leasing threads are interlaced respectively at intervals of plural waves, the state of inrangement when the leasing threads are extracted from interlaced side thereof. Thus removal of the leasing threads is an easy matter. interlacing the leasing thread in the form of a wave increases the efficiency of interlacing, makes extraction of the thread easy, and saves thread. Waving forms may be in the form of plain weave, twill weave, or satin weave.

In order to secure the returned parts or selvage parts of the leasing threads more efficiently, it is desirable to apply a chain stitch to these parts. The chain stitch may be a single chain stitchor a double chain stitch.

In each case, the chain stitch will be unfastenedwhen one end of the thread of the chain stitch is extracted. The chain stitch may be applied on both sides of the group of the continuous yarns andalong the total length thereof by a chain stitch machine in which the leasing threads are returned at certain intervals. The chain stitch is applied only to returned parts or selvage parts of the leasing threads by said chain stitch machine.

Instead of the leasing thread being interlaced in the shape of wave, a number of parallel and continuous yarns to be treated may be stitched directly by at least one chain stitch machine in the form of wave so that the same objectives, functions and effects mentioned above may be obtained. A single chain stitch or double chain stitch may be used for the purposes abovementioned to that the chain stitch may be unfastened by extracting it.

According to the present invention, a group of yarns. in which a number of parallel and continuous yarns to be treated are interlaced by leasing threads forming a wave-shape, are produced by an apparatus including a shedding device for shedding said continuous yarns to be treated, a leasing thread interlacing device is arranged at least on one side of the yarns of a group to interlace the leasing thread into the shed in the form of a wave, and a yarns holding device is employed to nip the leasing thread in the yarns so that the shedded leasing thread does not come off or change the wave-shape of the-next interlacing.

A shedding device and picking device of known loom may be used as the shedding device and leasing thread interlacing device. These devices may be used as they are or they may be improved in part. By changing the position of one picking cam fixed to a tappet shaft at a phase of in relation to that of the other picking cam, it is possible to interlace each leasing thread alternately from both sides of the yarns in each rotation of the tappet shaft. Further, using a known plural picking motion, it is possible to interlace leasing threads to each other respectively at intervals of plural waves. I

A conventional chain stitch machine is used for chain stitching the returned parts of the leasing threads and for chain stitching the group of the yarns forming wave-shape in stead of leasing threads. The chain stitch is made by reciprocating the chain stitch machine above the group of the yams to be stitched or by reciprocating the parts to be stitched and fixing the position of the machine. The chain stitch -IS made on the yarns in the form of wave.

In order to make it easier to understand the other objectives and features of the present invention, a detailed explanation shall be made hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an apparatus according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the parts in the vicinity of leasing thread interlacing device in FIG. 1; H

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a group of yarns interlaced with leasing threads in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a group of yarns interlaced with leasing threads in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; I ,1

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a group of yarns in FIG. 3, wherein both sides of the group of yarns, including returned parts of FIG. 6 is a plan view of a group of yarns in FIG. 3, wherein only returned parts of the leasing thread on both sides of the group are chain stitched by sewing machine and the other parts are not chain stitched;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the main parts of a sewing device;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of an embodiment, wherein the yarns are chain stitched once by a sewing machine;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of another embodiment, wherein the yarns are chain stitched twice by sewing machines; and

FIG. 11 is a plan view of still another embodiment differing from that of FIG. 10, wherein the yarns are chain stitched twice by sewing machines.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIGS. 1 and 2, a number of yarns l to be treated are supplied through yarns supply device 10. The yarns supply device 10, shown in FIG. 1, shows a creel l2 securing many playingoff bobbins (cheeses) 11 thereon. Alternately, a drum warper may be used.

The shedding device may be any known tappet shedding mechanism or dobby shedding mechanism wherein a heald 21 or an equivalent mechanism makes the yarns move alternately up and down by means of a tappet, a dobby, and other cam device so that a shed is formed.

As a leasing thread interlacing device 30, a picking mechanism of a known power loom can be used; however, a shuttle is not to be used. Due to the rotation of a picking cam 36 fixed to a tappet shaft which is driven by a motor (not illustrated), a picking roller 37 is moved up and down. The movement of the picking roller 37 makes a picking stick 34 swing from side to side through a picking strap 38 fixed to a picking arm which is fixed to a picking shaft. A picker 33 secured to the upper end part of the picking stick 34 reciprocates in a horizontal direction thereby reciprocating a rapier 31 fixed to said picker 33. A leasing thread 45 is caught by a groove 32 provided at the tip of the rapier 31 and is interlaced. Each part is brought back to its original position by means of a spring 39 secured to the lower end of the picking stick 34. In FIG. 2. the same mechanism provided for the right side of a group of yarns is provided symmetrically for the left side of said group of yarns so as to interlace a leasing thread from the left side. The position of the picking cam fixed to the tappet shaft is 180 out of phase when compared to the picking cam on the right side. The leasing thread is interlaced from the left side at each rotation of the tappet shaft altemately with said leasing thread 45 from the right side.

A leasing thread supply device 40 supplies leasing threads from the bobbin (cheese) 41 through a guide 42 and tension device 43. In order that the leasing thread may be adjusted up and down for engaging it correctly to a groove 32 at the tip of the rapier 31, a tension device of a disc type 43, as shown in FIG. 2, is screwed to a screw shaft 44 (said tension device is therefore movable up and down). The yarns 1 are divided up and down by means of the shedding device 20 to form a shed, a leasing thread 45 engaged to the groove at the tip of the rapier 31 is inserted in said shed by reciprocating motion of the rapier 31. The rapier 31 returns to its original position before the shed is closed. According to these steps, the leasing thread 45 has a locus in the form of wave. I A yarns securing device is provided in the vicinity of the shedding device 20, said yarns securing device usually has a pair of rubber nip rollers 51. Alternately, a pair of endless belts may be used in place of the nip rollers. The yarns securing device 50 not only serves to form the shed but also to nip the leasing thread so that the leasing thread when correctly interlaced will not be deformed at the next interlacing of the leasing thread. The next shedding begins after the interlaced leasing thread has been nipped by the yarns securing device 50.

When two picking cams fixed separately on both ends of the tappet shaft 35 are set 180 out of phase relative to one another and the leasing threads 45 are interlaced alternately from both sides of the yarns at each rotation of the tappet shaft, the leasing threads 45 are interlaced as shown in FIG. 3.

When the rapier 31 repeats the reciprocating motions twice and then another rapier on the other side repeats the reciprocating motions twice, the leasing threads are interlaced as shown in FIG. 4.

In FIG. 2, the leasing thread supply devices are provided, respectively, on both sides of the yarns 1. Alternatively, only one device may be provided on one side of the yarns.

FIG. 5 shows a group of yarns wherein both side ends thereof are chain stitched throughout thereof by a double V chain stitch machine 60, while FIG. 6 shows a group of yarns wherein only the returned parts of-the leasing threads are chain stitched by said double chain stitch machine. In order that the starting and stopping of the movement of the rapier 31 may switch on or 0B a drive circuit for the sewing machine 60 as shown in FIG. 2, the drive circuit may be a line connected to the power line, a microswitch 62 is included in said drive circuit and adapted so that said circuit is switched off when the end part of the rapier touches the circuit and is switched on when the end part of said rapier moves away from it and thereby starts and stops the sewing machine on the opposite side. Thus the chain stitch is made only on those parts where the leasing threads are being returned. The other parts are only applied with sewing thread and are not stitched.

The microswitch may be replaced by a photo tube and a detection lever at the positions where the leasing threads are returned. The movement of the detection lever may be operately connected with the movement of the sewing machine.

Because the chain stitched parts may become unfastened when excessive tension is applied to the parts, an excessive tension preventive device 70 is provided at the rear portion of the chain stitch machine. In FIG. 2, a device similar to the nip rollers 51 and having almost the same speed as that of the nip rollers is used as the excessive tension preventive device. Instead of the above mentioned rollers, a pair of endless belts may alternatively be used for the same purpose.

The sheet-type yarn group is shaken off to a receiving box or wound up to a beam winder to be carried to the later steps. The leasing threads 45 and chain stitch threads 61 can be extracted when it is desired.

In FIGS. 7 and 8, a device for chain stitching is shown. The steps for arranging yarns in a plane shape are the same as those of the embodiments mentioned above and they are therefore not shown in the FIGS. The yarns 1 arranged in parallel as a plane shape are carried through a comb 91, a pair of feeding rollers 92, a comb 93, and a delivery roller 94. Needles 63 of a stationary double chain stitch machine 60 are provided between rollers 92 and 94. Rollers 92 and 94 and combs 91 and 93 are movable with the same reciprocating motion As shown in FIG. 9, a wave-shaped continuous stitch 95 is applied as the yarns 1 advance.

In the embodiments mentioned above, the sewing machine is stationary and the yarns are movable with the reciprocating motion. However, in an alternate embodiment the sewing machine may be moved with reciprocating motion while the yarns are kept stationary. In FIGS. 10 and 1 l, a group of yarns passing through the feeding rollers is stitched by five chain stitchmachines to form five groups of yarns. These groups of yarns are also stitched by one or four chain stitch machines to form a group of yarns and then carried through delivery roller 94.

Although the invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments thereof, it is obvious that these may be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the claims and the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. A sheet type yarn group comprising in combination a number of continuous and approximately parallel yarns to be treated, a leasing thread interlaced from one side of said number of yarns in the form of a wave shape in plan view, another leasing thread interlaced from the other side of said number of yarns in the form of a wave shape which is parallel to said former wave shape, the state of intersection of the leasing threads with respect to the yarn being different between adjacent wave-shape parts, a single and continuous chain stitch thread applied only to returned parts of said leasing threads located in one side of said number of yarns, and another single and continuous chain stitch thread applied only to returned parts of said leasing threads located on the other side of said number of yarns, said both chain stitches being unfastened when one end thereof is extracted.

2. An apparatus for producing a group of yarns of a sheet type comprising a base, a shedding device fixed on said base for shedding a number of continuous and approximately parallel yams, a leasing thread supply device for supplying a leasing thread to a leasing thread interlacing device and for forming the leasing thread in a wave shape relative to said parallel yams, a leasing thread interlacing device provided at least on one side of said group of yarns for interlacing a leasing thread with said parallel yarns, a yarn securing device to nip said leasing thread so that said leasing thread may not be deformed at the next interlacing of the leasing thread, a chain stitch sewing machine device provided at least on one side of said number of continuous yarns in parallel for chain stitching returned parts of said leasing thread.

3. A apparatus as in claim 2, wherein two leasing thread interlacing devices and two chain stitch sewing machine devices are provided, each on each side of said group of yarns; including means for operating alternately said leasing thread inter lacing devices and means for operating said chain stitch sewing machines.

4. An apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said means for operating said leasing thread interlacing devices includes means for operating said devices respectively and repeatedly to interlace a leasing thread for several times and then to inter lace the other leasing thread for the same times as those of said other interlacing.

5. Apparatus as in claim 2 and also including means for driving said sewing machine in timing with the forming of the said returned parts.

6, An apparatus as in claim 2, including means operatively connected with starting and stopping of the operation of said leasing thread interlacing device for switching on and off said electric circuit of said chain stitch sewing machine 

